Lancashire Cricket Board: 3 Lancastrians Announced in England Physical Disability Squad
3 Lancastrians Announced in England Physical Disability Squad
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Dipesh Asher on 09/01/2014 10:45:00
England Physical Disability Head Coach, Chris Ellison, has named a fifteen-man
squad to play a six match ODI and T20 international series against the Pakistan
Physical Disability team in the UAE next month.
Callum Flynn, Lancashire and England top order batsman, was selected along with
uncapped Jordan Williams opening bowler and very useful with the bat and Steve
Braithwaite seam bowler.
The fourteen-day tour, which gets underway on the 16th March, will consist of
three forty over One-Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals, all played
at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in Dubai.
Cheshire’s Jimmy Williams has once again been charged with captaining the
side, which includes six uncapped players at an international level.
It will be the second time that England’s Physical Disability team has
contested an official international series against their counterparts from
Pakistan, following the team’s inaugural tour to the UAE in 2012. On that
occasion Pakistan proved to be too strong, as Williams’ England side went down
2-0 in the T20 series and subsequently lost the ODIs 2-1.
Commenting about the tour and the fifteen players selected, England Physical
Disability Head Coach, Chris Ellison, said: “The squad is a mix of experience
and youth and I'm particularly pleased that we have been able to add six new
players to this touring party, who have not played international cricket before.
The introduction of such talented young players to the set-up is evidence for
the continued development of our national disability cricket programme.
“A lot of hard work has happened, both on and off the field, since we last
played against Pakistan in Dubai two years ago. All of the players learnt a
great deal then, and with the recent instigation of the new regional talent
development centres, the players are well prepared for the challenges they will
once again face.”
ECB’s Head of Disability Cricket, Ian Martin, added: “Representing England
is the pinnacle for any cricketer and so I am pleased for all of the players
that have been selected for this tour. Pakistan proved to be a tough nut to
crack in 2012, they are a strong side and we will have to perform at our very
best to beat them, but I am confident that we have selected a squad that can do
that."
Bobby Denning, Acting Director for the LCB, added: "I'd like to congratulate
Callum, Jordan and Steve on their selection in the England PD squad. Lancashire
has the highest representation in the squad and an additional promising
Lancastrian on the fringes. This bodes well for disability cricket in Lancashire
and demonstrates to those entering our programmes at grassroots level, that
these opportunities to play at the top level exist with hard work and
dedication.
"My congratulations also go to Qasim Ali from Burnley who has been appointed the
Assistant Coach of the squad."
The fifteen players will be joined by Head Coach, Chris Ellison, newly appointed
Assistant Coach, Qasim Ali, Team Manager Neil Bradshaw, and physio Sian Morgan,
to form a nineteen-strong touring party.
England Physical Disability Squad in full:
Jimmy Williams (captain) - Cheshire
Matt Askin - Staffordshire
Ollie Barton* - Northamptonshire
Matt Blamire* - Somerset
Steve Braithwaite* - Lancashire
Fred Bridges - Surrey
Dan Hamm - Cheshire
Alex Hammond* - Hampshire
Callum Flynn - Lancashire
Gordon Laidlaw - Yorkshire
Iain Nairn* - Northumberland
Dan Reynaldo - Hampshire
Liam Thomas - Yorkshire
Jordan Williams* - Lancashire
Sam Wyles - Warwickshire
*Denotes uncapped player
Tour schedule in full:
21.3.14 (am) 1st T20 ICC Global Cricket Academy
21.3.14 (pm) 2nd T20 ICC Global Cricket Academy
22.3.14 3rd T20 ICC Global Cricket Academy
24.3.14 1st ODI ICC Global Cricket Academy
27.3.14 2nd ODI ICC Global Cricket Academy
29.3.14 3rd ODI ICC Global Cricket Academy